Method to reduce residual particulate contamination in CVD and PVD semiconductor wafer manufacturing

A method of reducing particulate contamination in a semiconductor wafer deposition layer during a CVD or PVD deposition process comprising the steps of:

• providing a semiconductor wafer having a process surface for depositing a deposition layer including at least one of a dielectric insulating layer and a metal layer thereover according to one of a physical vapor deposition (PVD) and a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process;
• depositing at least a portion of the deposition layer from about ¼ to about ½ of a final deposition layer thickness over the process surface;
• cleaning the semiconductor wafer including the process surface according to an ex-situ cleaning process to remove particulate contamination including at least one of spraying and scrubbing;
• and,
• repeating the steps of depositing and cleaning to complete the final deposition layer thickness.